DOING GOOD

Female ex-cons are getting a second chance to build a life for themselves at a North Carolina restaurant that hires them as cooks, servers, and managers. “Second Helping” opened recently in Charlotte with seven former prisoners dishing out shrimp and grits, braised pork, and fried chicken to customers. The restaurant is the brainchild of Melissa Mummert, who also runs a nonprofit organization that offers support to women released from jail. “Employers just weren’t hiring people with criminal records,” she said. “So we decided we’ll just create a business and create the jobs ourselves.”